Registration open for no-cost diabetes screening at Blessing Resource Center on Nov. 2

QUINCY — Registration is open for a no-cost A1C blood test screening for diabetes on Thursday, Nov. 2.

The screening takes place by appointment only between 9 and 11 a.m. at the Blessing Resource Center, 420 N. 34th. in the same building as Blessing’s Express Clinic. No fasting is required and appointments are limited. The screening includes a blood pressure reading.

To make a reservation, go to events.blessinghealth.org and search A1C or call 217-277-5000.

The A1C test helps to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. Its results also help patients and their healthcare providers manage the disease.

Diabetes occurs when the body is either not producing or not properly using the insulin it naturally produces.  That leads to organ-damaging high levels of blood sugar contributing to heart, kidney, vision and circulatory problems and to disability or death. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 Americans, or 37 million people have diabetes, but 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have the disease because people often don’t notice symptoms in early stages of diabetes.

People living with diabetes, or who are at higher than average risk for developing the disease due to family history, race or other factors, could benefit from the screening.

Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, include:

• Being Black
• Being 45 years or older
• Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
• Being overweight
• Being physically active less than three times a week